Former Arsenal midfielder Thomas Partey pleads not guilty to two new rape allegations

Partey enters plea in court

Partey appeared at Southwark Crown Court on Monday to

Midfielder facing several charges

The latest hearing follows a series of previous allegations made against the former Atletico Madrid star. Partey was charged in July last year with five other counts of rape and one count of sexual assault, relating to separate incidents alleged to have occurred in 2021 and 2022. He has previously entered not guilty pleas to all of these earlier charges. With the addition of the two new counts, he has now pleaded not guilty to seven counts of rape and one of sexual assault involving four different women. On Monday, Judge Tony Baumgartner ruled that all the allegations would be heard together.

Ex-Gunner now playing for Villarreal

These legal developments come after Partey ended his five-year association with Arsenal. The player moved to the Emirates Stadium in 2020 in a deal worth approximately £45 million, but left the Premier League side last June to join La Liga outfit

He did not attend a previous hearing at Westminster Magistrates' Court, where his legal representative had indicated his intention to deny the charges formally pleaded on Monday.

Potential trial delays

Looking ahead, the consolidation of the charges has led to a major adjustment in the legal timeline. A trial originally scheduled for November 2026 could now be delayed until January 2027. A pre-trial hearing is set for May 14 to further discuss the scheduling and logistics of the upcoming proceedings.